The constant jabber and phone distractions are one, and only one, of the reason we seldom do "upscale" dining these days. it's not even the phone calls, but there seems a reluctance these days to excuse oneself from the table and not share those riveting conversations with everyone within 75'

Well if that isn't just a bunch of silliness. It is just plain wrong to leave your cell phone at dinner. Even at home. If you are a person who is on call, such as a doctor or other medical person, I can see it. Otherwise leave the dang cell phone off. If you need to check on something, go out of the building or into a quiet area. I get so tired of the stupid people talking on their phones about personal crap for all the rest of us to hear. People are so self-focused these days.

Why would a restaurant even offer a discount? It is ludicrous. Instruct the waits to tell patrons to turn off their phones or use them in another area. Period.

Yeah, this sort of thing really bothers me, too. I think (hope) that this should become less common in the future. It's taking time for cell phone etiquette to develop, but as they become less of a status symbol and a new technology, people should become more conscious of how annoying and asinine they sound when they're broadcasting their personal conversations to a group of strangers.

I'll sign on totally to what Karen and Carl have written. I think it is also up to restaurants to post signs that conversations by cell phone are not acceptable except for emergency medical reasons. Carl, if someone would admonish me for eavesdropping I would like to tell you my response to that person but there are women and children reading the internet.